Improvement in gang-plows



IJN TE S'r'rEs j- FEGEO ELWOOD J. SPRAGUE, OF CASADAGA, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN GANG-FLOWS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No- 162,7Q9, dated April27, 1875; applicaion filed January 2, 1875.

To all whom "it may concern:

Be it known that I, Enwoon J. SPRAGUE, of Oasadaga, in the county ofChautauqua and State of New York, have invented a new and valuableImprovement in Gang Flows; and I do hereby declare that the following isa full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operationof the same, reference beinghad to the annexed drawings making a part ofthis specification, and to the letters and figures of reference markedthereon.

Figure 1 of the drawing is a representation of a side view of my plowand Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same; Fig. 3 is a front elevation.

This invention has relation to gang-plows which are attached to framescapable of vertical vibration for the purpose of raising them from theground; and the nature of the invention consists in the combination,with cliploops applied upon and extending rearwardly from the axle oftwo transporting-wheels, and with loops rigidly secured upon the frontends of a frame carrying a gang of plows, of connecting-links adjustablypivoted to the cliploops and vertically adjustable on the frameloops,whereby a double adjustment of the gang-plow frame is obtained for thepurpose of increasing or diminishing the depth of penetration of theplows into the ground, and whereby the frame is made capable of verticalvibration on the axle for the purpose of disengaging the plow from theground when desirable.

It furthermore consists in combining loops loosely applied upon theaxle-tree, and lugs or arms rigidly secured thereto, and projecting outhorizontally therefrom, with an adjustingscrew passing throughscrew-threaded perforations in the said clip-loops and logs, whereby thesaid loops are capable of being adjusted laterally upon the axle-treefor the purpose of increasing or diminishing the distances apart of thefurrows, all as will be hereafter more fully explained.

In the annexed drawings, Adesignates a rectangular frame, consisting oftwo longitudinal bars, a, and two transverse brace-bars, b, as shown inFig. 2, supporting a gang of plows, B B, in connection with which Ipropose to show the application and construction of my improvements inthis class of implements- O designates strong metallic loops rigidlysecured in any suitable manner to the front ends of bars a of theplow-frame, the same being preferably of rectangular form, and eachprovided with a vertical slot cut in their front walls, through whichslots are passed metalliclinks D of suitable dimensions and strength, asshown in Fig. 1. These links have the front ends bifurcated, and theirrear ends are provided with a vertical screw-threaded perforation,through which and through vertical perforations in legs (I ofthe saidloops are passed thumb-screws E, for a purpose hereinafter made clear. FF designate U-shaped loops, which are passed from the rear over an axle,G, of two transporting-wheels, H, and are secured, by means of bolts andnuts, to metallic T-shaped blocks I, having broad flat basesi, whichbear against the front surface of the ax1e-tree,.as shown in Fig. 2.These blocks are each provided with screw-threaded perforations, throughwhich and through perforations in metallic arms J, rigidly secured in ahorizontal position to, and projecting from, axle G, is passed anadjusting-screw, S, by means of which the loops F, and with them frameA, are adjusted to or from the transporting furrow-wheel, for thepurpose of increasing or diminishing the distance apart of successivelymade sets of furrows.

The depth of penetration of the plows is regulated in the followingmanner, to wit Where the depth to be obtained isincon siderable inrelation to the usual penetration of the plows, an actuation ofadjusting-screws E will cause the links to descend in the slot in thefront end of loops 0 with the desired effect, but where this penetrationis to be materially increased or diminished it becomes necessary toremove a bolt, 76, passing through perforations in the bifurcated end oflinks D, and perforation t' of loops F, to detach the said links, and tore-attach them to an upper perforation or to alower one of the saidloops, according as the penetration is to be increased or diminished. fdesignates a lever, havingits fulcrum upon a standard, 9, erected uponaxle G, and sustainin g the drivers seat, and it is connected with frameA by means of an arm, h, pivoted tothe said frame and to the weight endof the said lever. a certain distance in front of the drivers seat,and'terminates in an enlargement, I, having a notched convex upper edge,as shown in Fig. 1, and this enlargement is engaged under ananti-friction wheel, m, upon a second lever, it, having its fulcrum uponthe seat-standard above mentioned, below that of lever f. This latterlever is prevented from all displacement by means of a metallic straprigidly secured to the lower part of lever 12 and to the shaft of wheelat, as shown in Fig. 2. When the power end of lever n is thrust down itwill depress the power end of lever f, elevating its weight end, bearingalong with it the frame A, which vibrates vertically upward, raisingplows B from the ground. In this manner the implement may be driven fromthe field or turned in a furrow with but little exertion of the draftanimals, the said frame being held in an elevated position by the enga-gernent of pulley m in'a notch, 0, of lever f. With a view tomaintaining axle-tree G in a horizontal position transporting-wheels Hare applied upon spindles p, which are rigidly secured to strongmetallic boxings, L, constituting three sides of a hollow rectangle,which 'boxings are adjustably secured upon the ends The power end ofthis lever extends of axle-tree G by means of perforations 1' in thelegs of the boxings, and a bolt or bolts passing through them andthrough a correspondin g perforation or perforations in the ends of theaxle-tree. In plows of this description one of the wheels is designed torun in the furrow last made.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with the loops F laterally adjustable on axle G, andthe supportinglugs J, of the adjusting-screw S, substantially asspecified.

2. In a gang-plow the combination, substantially as described, of theclip-loops F, extending rearwardly from the axle G, the slotted loop 0secured upon the front ends of the plowframes, the adjustably-connecting links D, and the vertically-adj ustable screw E, all operatingsubstantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the above, I have hereunto subscribed my namein the presence of two witnesses.

ELWOOD J. SPRAGUE.

IVinesses:

JAMES M. BEEBE, GEORGE H. WILLIAMS.

